Leather-splitting machine



Patented @ct. El, 1922.

FAYENT JOSEPH A. MEYER, 0F NEVJARK, HEEV JERSEY.

LEATHER-SPLITTING- TEACHINE.

" Application filed Januaiy 7, 1921. Serial No, 35,605.

T 0 Mt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn A. Mann, a citizen. ot the Lnitcd States, anda resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Leatherfiplitting Machines,of which. the following is a specification.

The objects of the invention are to secure an improved construction "fordriving the rings of the ring roll from the shaft on which they arearranged, so as to leave them free to move radially against theresiliency of the rubber roll and accommodate variations of thickness inthe leather; to provide an improved construction in which; each of thering sections of the ring roll is iirictionally driven from the shaftwhereby the accidental stopping oi one or more of the ring sections asby the jamming of a piece or leather or foreign matter between the ringsections, does not in any manner interfere with the proper operation ofthe other ring sections; to accommodate different speeds of travel. ofthe leather at different points in the width of? the machine; to thusenable portions of the hide or skin, such as the outer edges to beeasily retarded with respect to the middle. harder portion which cuts orsplits more slowly; to enable such retardation to be accomplished bysimply pulling backward upon the lateral edge portions of the hidewithout affecting the median longitudinal portion of the hide, the ringsections slipping with respect to each other and the shaft; to providewithin each ring section means independent of the other ring sectionsfor trictionally driving or imparting motion to the same from the shaft;to thus provide means within each ring section having a positiveconnection with the shaftand held in frictional engagement with the ringsection; to provide the periphery of the ring roll with a plurality ofrecesses or depressions, arranged in oppositclydirected spirals atopposite ends of rolls and tending; to separate the lateral marginalportions of the hide to prevent bagging thereof; to thus secure thebenelits of the grooves in spreading, in. coml ination with the benefitsof independently rotatable rings, and to obtain other advantages andresults may be brought out by the fOllOWiDg description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like mimerals ofreference indicate the same views,

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a splittingmachine embodying a ring roll constructed in accordance with myinvention;

Figure 2 is detached fragmentary planview of the ring roll; J

Figure 3 is an enlarged. tlrap'mentarv vert cal longitudinal sectional.view through the ring roll, both of the rings being shown in section,and the friction elements of one of the rings being shown in sideelevation;

Figure 4 is atransverse vertical sectional view through one oi the ring;sections taken on the line 4t of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a detached plan view of one ofthe friction rings attached tothe ring section; i

igure 6 is a similar view of one of the friction disks connected to thering" rollshatt, and i i I Figure '7 is a fragmentary transversesectional iew through one of the ring sections and one of thefriction-plates showing a modified manner of providinga positiveconnection between theplate and ring SH tion. a

A ring roll I1v construct-ed in accordance with my invention isspecifically designed for use in connection with conventionalleather-splitting machine comprising a frame 2 upon which is mounted atable or bed 8 to support the leather A to be split as it is fed to thesplitting device. Above the table glongitudinally of the machine ismounted the gage roll 4r adjustable by conventional. means 5, and belowthe roll and parallel thereto is mounted. my improved ring roll 1 on aring roll shaft (5, the leather to be split passing between the gageroll t and the ring roll 1 to the usual band knife 7 and being split inthe con ventional manner into the two pieces a and Z). The gage roll 4is adjustable relatively to the ring roll 1. to accommodate hides ofvarious thicknesses and the ring roll held yieldingly in engagement withthe underside of the hide by the rubber roll 8 which has frictionalcontact with said ring roll.

The ring roll. shattG is positively driven in addition to beingtrictionally driven by the rubber roll 8, and the ring roll is soconstructed that the ring sections are individually and l rictionallvdr'ven from the shaft 6, at the saine time being free to slip partsthroughout the several with respect to each other and move radiallyrelatively to the ring roll shaft to a commodate various speeds oftravel of different portions of the hide and irregularities in thesurface of the hide. Each ring section 9 of the ring roll 1 issubstantially a hollow cylinder having one integral end 10 provided withan axial opening 11 of substantially greater liameter than the ring rollshaft 6 to allow the ring section to move radially upon the shaft. Theother end of the ring, section is closed by any suitable means such asthe screw plug 1 which has an axial opening 18 similar to the opening 11and for the same purpose. lVithin each ring section. is arrangedplurality of spaced pairs of spaced friction plates 14!; which arepositively connected to the'shaft 6 in any suitable manner, in thepresent instance the shaft 6 being shown as polygonal in cross-sect1on,and the friction plates being formed with polygonal openings 15 tosnugly fit upon the shaft 6. The friction plates 14 are of a diameterlarge enough to overlap the edges of the openings 11 and 1S, and oneplate of one pair frictionally engages the inner side of the end 10 ofthe ring section while one plate of the other pair frictionally engagesthe inside of the screw plug 12, as more clearly shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. A friction ring 16 is interposed between the plates 14 ofeach pair of friction plates and is provided with an axial opening 17 ofsubstantially the same diameter as the openings 11 and 18 so that thefriction plates 14: upon opposite sides of the respective rings 16overlap the edges of said openings 17 and frictionally engage the sidesof the rings 16. The rings 16 are positively connected to the ringsection 9 so as to rotate therewith in any suitable manner, in thepresent instance the interior of the ring section being polygonal andformed with the flat faces 18, the rings 16 being correspondingly shapedand provided with the flat faces 19 to snugly engage the faces 18 of thering section.

For the purpose of maintaining the friction plates 1 1 and frictionrings 16 in constant and forcible frictional engagement, I may provide aplurality of springs 20 which are interposed between the innermostfriction plates 141-, the said springs being under compression andtending to force the respective friction plates 14 into frictionalengagement with the end 10 of the ring section, the screw plug 12 andthe friction rings 16. Obviously, the friction plates 14': are slidablelongitudinally of the shaft 6 and the rings 16 are slidablelongitudinally of the ring section 9. To maintain the springs 20 inproper relation to the friction plates, I provide a spring carrier 21which is positively connected to the shaft 6 and rotates therewith, thesaid carrier being provided with a pluralty of transverse openings 22 toloosely receive the springs 20, as clearly shown. in Figures 3 and 4 ofthe drawing. lVhen. it is desired to remove or renew any of the frictionplates, friction rings, or springs, it is merely necessary to unscrewthe plug 12, whereupon the various friction elements can be easilyremoved from the ring section.

The ring sections are arranged upon the r ng roll shaft 6 side by sideas shown in l gures 2 and 3 between a pair of stop collars 23 which arerigidly connected to the shaft 6 and prevent displacement of the ringsections therefrom. The rings extend ing from the center of the shaft tothe stop collars 23 are respectively provided with a plurality ofoppositely extending and spirally arranged depressions or recesses 24,the said depressions being preferably substantially crescenthape asshown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the edges of said depressions 9/1causing the ring sections to have a tight frictional engagement with thehide so as to cooperate with the gage roller to feed the hide to theknife '7, and the spiral arrangement of said depressions serving tosmooth and stretch the hide from the center toward the edges thereof toprevent bagging or wrinkling.

1n the operation of the device the rubber roll. ring roll. and gageroll, rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows to feed the hideor leather A to the hand knife 7. The ring roll shaft 6 is positivelydriven by any suitable means, not shown, and the ring sections 9 areindividually and frictionally driven from the shaft by the frictionplates 14- and friction rings 16. In other words, motion is frictionallyimparted from the shaft to each of said ring sections independently ofthe imparting of motion to the other ring sections. The ring sections inthe ring roll are yieldingly held against the underside of the hide bythe rubber roll 8, and should a projection or irregularity in the hide,as indicated at c in Figure 4, strike one of the ring sections, saidring section will yield radially by virtue of its loose lit upon thering roll shaft and press into the rubber roll which causes the ring toassume its original position after the irregularity has passed. Thisdisplacement in no way affects the other ring sections which continue tooperate freely. Should rotation of one or more of the ring sections 9 bestopped by the wedging or jamming of a piece of leather or other foreignmatter between the rings, or otherwise accidentally, the remaining ringsbeing individually driven from the shaft 6 will continue to operatewithout disturbance or interference by the stopping of the other rings.and it is therefor. not necessary to immediately StOp the operation ofthe machine and adjust or repair the ring sections as is frequently thecase where the ring sections are frictionally driven one from the other.It often occurs that as the hide is being fed through the machine theshirts or marginal. edges thereof travel faster than the thicker middleportion which. is harder to split and the edges are pulled back orretarded by the operator. In the usual construction'of ring roll thispulling is done against the positive drive of the ring sections and theonly retardation is caused by hard enough pulling to cause the hide toslip under the ring roll and gage roll. lVith my construction thefrictional drive of the ring sections from the shaft allows the rings atthe ends of the shaft to be rotated and slipped backwardly, at the sametime allowing the other rings to rotate in the usual manner and at theusual speed to feed the hide. The engagement of the friction plates letwith the ends of the ring sections and the friction rings 16 tends tohold the ring sections in an upright osition and thus prevent tilting ofthe rings and rovide against ring marks on the hide. As the ring rollrotates the depressions 24: in the ring sections stretch and smooth thehide from the center toward the edges thereof and this smoothing actiontakes place even at the roughest places in the hide and when the ringsare displaced, owing to the fact that each ring is provided with aplurality of spirally arranged depressions 24 and is constantlyfrictionallv driven from the shaft 6.

Another manner of providing a positive connection of the rings 16 withthe ring section is shown in Figure 7. According to this form of theinvention the interior of the ring section may be made circular andprovided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 25, andthe rings 16 are made circular and of a diameter substan tially that ofthe interior of the ring section and provided with outwardly projectingradial lugs 26 to slidably fit in the grooves 25 in the ring section.

lVhile I have shown and described one possible embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that this is for the purpose ofillustrating the principles thereof only, and that various modificationsand changes can be made in the detail constructi on thereof by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention. For instance, while I have shown the friction plates 1%secured on a polygonal shaft, other means for providing a positiveconnection of the plates and shaft might be utilized; also other meansthan that shown can be provided for obtaining a positive connection ofthe friction ring 16 with the ring section. Furthermore, I might utilizeother types of springs for maintaining the rictional engagement betweenthe plates Li and rings'lti, such as flat leaf springs, or springwashers, or the like. The number of friction. plates '14 and friction.rings 16, and the number of the springs 20, can be varied desired.ilhere fore, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself exceptas required by the following claims when construed in the light of theprior art Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft. a plurality of ringsect-ions loose on said shaft, and means forfrictionally imparting motion from the shaft to each of said. sectionsindependently of the imparting of motion to the other ring sections.

2. In a ring roll, the combination. of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, and resilientmeans for frictionally imparting motion from said shaft to each of saidring sections independently of the other ring sections.

3. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, a plurality offriction elements mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, each ofsaid elements being adapted to frictionally enone ofsaid ringsections,and means for maintaining frictional engagement of saidfriction elements with their respective ring sections to frictionallydrive said ring sections from the shaft.

.4. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving saidshaft, plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, a plurality offriction elements one for each of said ring sections mounted on saidshaft and rotatable therewith, and means for resiliently engaging eachof said friction elements with its respective ring section tofrictionally drive said ring sections independently of each other.

5. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a pinrality of ring sections loose on said shaft, frictionelements mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, and yieldingmeans for each section maintaining frictional engagement between saidring section and its friction element.

6. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, a pair offriction elements for each ring section mounted on said shaft androtatable therewith, and yielding means interposed between the elementsor said pair of frio tion elements for maintaining frictional engagement between said elements and their respective ring sections. i

T. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, and IHLLUISwithin each of said ring sections for frictionally imparting motionthereto from said shaftindependently of the imparting of motion to theother ring sections.

In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving the shaft,a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of said ringsections comprising substantially a hollow cylinder, and means withinsaid ring sections and rotatable with Said shaft for frictionallyimparting motion from said shaft to each of said ring sectionsindependently of the imparting of motion to the other ring sections.

9. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of saidring sections comprising substantially a hollow cylinder, a frictionelement within each of said ring sections and positively rotatable withsaid shaft, said friction elements frictionally engaging the in nerwalls of their respective ring sections to frictionally impart motionthereto from the shaft independently of the imparting of motion to theother ring sections.

10. In a, ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of saidring sections comprisin substantially a hollow cylinder having endwalls, a pair of friction elements mounted within each of said. ringsections and positively rotatable with said shaft, said frictionelements having a frictional engagement with the said end walls of theirrespective ring sections for driving said ring sections.

11. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plu rality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of saidring sections comprising substantially a hollow cylinder having endalls, a pair of friction element-s mounted within each. of said ringsections and positively rotatable with said shaft, and yielding meansfor maintaining said friction elements in frictional engagement with thesaid end walls of their respective ring sections to drive said ringsection.

In a rino roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving the shaft,a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of said ringsections comprising substantially a hollow cylinder, plurality of spacedfriction elements mounted within each of said ring sections andpositively rotatable with said shaft, and. spring means interposedbetween the friction elements of each ring section for maintainingfrictional engagement between said friction elements and the inner wallsoftheir respective ring sections.

13. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft. each of saidring sections COIHPIESlHg substantially a hollow cylinder, a frictionelement mounted within each of said ring sections to rotate therewith,and a second friction element rotatable with said shaft and frictionallyengaging said first-mentioned friction element.

14. In a ring roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving theshaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft, each of saidring sections comprising substantially a hollow cylinder, a plurality offriction rings mounted within each of said JOSEPH A. MEYER.

